Post on 15-Aug-2015
Recap
CircumstancesO There was early O to the Weimar GovernmentC The Weimar Government was a C Government
D During its time in power, the Weimar Government made a few Bad D
C The WR also lost a C Leader in Gustav Stresemann
D The WR was badly affected by the Great D
PPOSITION
OALITION
EPRESSION
APABLE
ECISIONS
Hitler’s Rise to Power1) Weaknesses of Weimar Govt
However …
Nazis did not have clear majority in parliament
Only 3/11 cabinet ministers were Nazis
Communists were the Nazis’ main rivals
Mmmm.. What can I do to gain more power?
The elections are coming up soon!
COMMUNISTS
Reichstag Fire, Feb 1933
Dutch communist, Marinus van der Lubbe, was arrested, together with several other communist leaders Charged with attempting to overthrow
the government
Reichstag Fire, Feb 1933
Hitler convinced President Hindenburg to establish emergency powers Hindenburg signed the Reichstag Fire
Decree▪ Suspended civil liberties such as freedom of
the press and freedom to assemble in public▪ The SA arrested communists, broke up their
meeting and shut down their newspapers – effect?▪ Those who spoke up against Hitler also
beaten up
Affected election campaigns of rival parties
Enabling Act, March 1933
March 1933 Elections Nazis won 44% of the vote an
increase!
Nazis44%
+
German National People’s Party
8%
=52%Majority
InParliament!
Enabling Act, March 1933 Hitler wanted the Enabling Act to
be passed Would grant him the power to pass laws
without the President’s approval▪ SA and SS men surrounded building where
vote was held
Bill Passed!
Enabling Act, March 1933Communist Party and Social
Democratic Party banned from taking part in future elections
Est. of One Party Rule, July 1933
2 May 1933 Hitler passed law making Nazi Party the
ONLY LEGAL POLITICAL PARTY in Germany
Nazi officials took charge of local governments in the individual states
Trade Unions dissolved and their leaders put in prison
Night of the Long Knives, June 1934
Rohm was leader of the SA Influential figures
like Himmler felt that he was becoming too powerful
Army also viewed SA as a threat
Hitler’s Pact If Rohm was
removed, Army would swear loyalty to Hitler
Ernst Rohm
Night of the Long Knives, June 1934
Night of the Long Knives SS arrested and killed Rohm and other
SA leaders Other political opponents who angered
Hitler were also targeted SA’s power broken and became
subject to SS’s controlI’m now in a position of
GREAT POWER!
Himmler
Creation of the Führer Position
Hindenburg died in 1934 Hitler merged position of President with
position of Chancellor
President
Chancellor+ =
Fuehrer(SupremeLeader)